Overview
Globally, vaccines save an estimated 2–3 million lives every year. Being up to date on vaccinations leads to overall better health outcomes, higher levels of productivity and lower healthcare costs. Improved interoperability and functionality between health IT and immunization information systems (IIS) enhance data quality spanning from the point of care to public health with the longer-term goals of increasing vaccination coverage and reducing vaccine-preventable diseases.
The Immunization Integration Program (IIP) brings together key collaborators like IIS, EHRs, other health IT, health information exchanges (HIEs), clinicians, public health, pharmacy and other critical partner groups to improve immunization interoperability, information sharing and management. The IIP is a partnership between the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), HIMSS, the American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA) and Drummond Group, sponsored by the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). The IIP is also supported by several consultants who lend their expertise to the program’s overall success.
The purpose of the IIP is to improve immunization data exchange by advancing immunization capabilities in EHRs and collaborating with partners to identify and address immunization interoperability challenges. The IIP has two core components:
- The Testing and Recognition initiative facilitates ONC-approved testing which gives EHR developers the opportunity to adopt, demonstrate and raise awareness of their software products’ inclusion of high-priority immunization capabilities. Learn how to apply for immunization-centric product testing.
- The Collaborative fosters an interconnected network of immunization data exchange partners to prioritize, develop and drive the adoption of solutions to improve interoperability. Learn about current priorities and solutions ready for adoption and implementation.
Pipeline Approach
A pipeline approach has been developed to identify opportunities for strategic application of the IIP Collaborative’s recommended solutions to testing within the Testing and Recognition initiative. Updates to the Test Plan are made regularly and include efforts resulting from work by the IIP Collaborative.
Over time, the test plan will be updated with the goal to continue to improve immunization interoperability and information sharing with IIS. New testing functionality will be introduced as immunization data exchange evolves and existing requirements may be deprecated to ensure that the test plan remains current, relevant and impactful.
Benefits to Participating
The success of the IIP is tied to its ability to prepare technologies for the real world, tackle challenges head on and leverage the resources available. Providing the right immunization for the right patient at the right time relies on a robust immunization program influenced by human interactions, technical capabilities, local workflow, policy and regulation. The IIP provides a forum where participants can share their experiences, expertise and challenges. Participants collaborate to discuss issues, offer perspectives and share solutions. The IIP’s key collaborators are described below. Additional groups are welcome at the table.
Clinicians
Provide the right immunization for the right patient at the right time through improved EHR capabilities facilitated by IIP's Testing and Recognition initiative and Collaborative activities.
Health IT Developers
Involvement in the IIP will improve communication between health IT (e.g., EHRs) and IIS by sharing best practices, common challenges, standards implementation strategies and best practices – thereby reducing development burden associated with onboarding, interoperability, and information sharing. As a convener for these two groups, the IIP creates a necessary space for collaboration.
HIEs
The IIP will help increase awareness of the important role HIEs can play in immunization interoperability and improve the ability of HIEs to provide valuable member and participant services to a variety of stakeholders such as healthcare providers, EHRs and IIS.
Pharmacies, Pharmacy Systems and Pharmacy Associations
Pharmacies play an important role in vaccine delivery and becoming involved in the IIP can support and amplify the pharmacy perspective and foster collaboration with data exchange partners.
Public Health IIS Managers and Immunization Program Managers
Amplify the impact, participation, and coverage of immunization programs by tackling issues that will improve CDC goals of improved data quality and EHR-IIS interoperability through IIP participation.
IIS Technology Partners
The IIP seats you at the table with immunization partners to work together to understand challenges, prioritize enhancements and learn about strategies from CDC that may impact your development lifecycle.
Participate
Learn more about becoming a pilot site, early adopter, or workgroup participant and how the IIP is improving immunization interoperability, information sharing and management by sending an email to iip@himss.org.
Partners
